It is known that a shower comprises a surface for recovery of waste water that forms the base of the shower space that is combined with a means for draining said water, such as a siphon, which recovery surface generally comes in the form of a more or less wide and deep tub of an overall square or rectangular shape, equipped with a peripheral edge that generally comprises a flat seat surface, whereby said tub is designed to be placed either on the floor or embedded in a recess that is made in the floor of a bathroom.
Such a shower receiving tub is usually placed in a wall space that is delimited by a wall side that is equipped with a water distribution installation or by several wall sides, in general two or three wall sides at a right angle of which at least one is equipped with a water distribution installation.
When the tub is embedded, the latter is supported in the recess that is made in the floor of the bathroom by its base that rests on the horizontal flat surface that forms the base of said recess, directly or by means of an integrated base or blocks and/or by the seat surface of its peripheral edge that rests on the horizontal peripheral flat surface or belt that surrounds said recess by means of a support seal that ensures the tight connection between the peripheral edge of the tub and the recess.
However, if these receiving tubs allow a relatively easy implementation of their installation, they allow edges or raised-surface parts to appear at the entry to the shower space relative to the surrounding floor that do not allow good accessibility, in particular for individuals who are elderly or handicapped. Furthermore, the differences in level between the surrounding floor and the surface for recovery of waste water from the shower impart an appearance that is not very aesthetically pleasing and is not in keeping with the décor of the bathroom, as well as giving an impression of decreased space.
To eliminate these drawbacks, level showers that are commonly called “Italian-style showers,” whose surface for recovery of waste water is flush with the surrounding floor, are also known. Such a recovery surface is generally curved or consists of gentle slopes that converge toward a drainage siphon that can be in a position that is central or offset or toward drains, combined with a particular siphon system and arranged along all or part of the circumference of the floor of the shower.
However, while a so-called “Italian-style” shower has a more aesthetically pleasing appearance than the standard showers and offers level accessibility without leaving obvious cuts, while making it possible in particular to make varied shapes and to integrate the same finish as that of the bathroom, it requires a complete ground seal to ensure good behavior over time and to prevent degradation due to infiltration and moisture.
In this type of shower, the watertightness of the floor of the shower and the joints between the latter and the adjacent wall sides is conventionally ensured using a zinc or lead sheet that goes back up the latter and on which is cast a waterproof concrete covering with multiple slopes, generally four slopes, or, as is the case for the current trend, using a PVC film that integrates a siphon bond and on which film a covering with several slopes is cast. Other molded devices that integrate a siphon, such as panels made of high-density PSE, are able to be laid in a recess that is made in the floor.
The installation of an Italian-style shower is therefore complex and should be done very carefully, preferably by professionals, in particular for the production of slopes of the surface for the recovery of waste water on which the proper flow of waste water depends.
In the case where the installation is not carried out correctly, which is common when the installer is not sufficiently skilled in this regard, considerable damage and a high repair cost as well as significant compensation fees may result when the damage done affects the surrounding area.